Prayers for the Benefice

Each week we join our Baptist friends in praying for a local road or street.

Flowerdale Road in Watchet

Kebby's Farm Close in Williton

Pray for God’s blessing on those who live there.

Prayers for the People of Ukraine

We pray for peace

The Collect
 O God the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your Kingdom in heaven:
we beseech you, leave us not comfortless, but send your Holy Spirit to strengthen us and exalt us to the place where our Saviour Christ is gone before, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen 

Today’s Worship and Readings

9.15am             Parish Communion at St Peter’s
10.45am           Parish Communion at St Decuman’s

                          (followed by Annual Church Meetings)

Readings:         Acts 1: 6-14        John 17: 1-11

Ascension Day (Latin ascendare – to go up) last Thursday marked the end of the ‘Great Forty Days’ since Easter,
during which the risen Christ appeared to his disciples many times, culminating in his ascension to heaven. Now
we look forward to celebrating his gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (next Sunday). As Head of the Church and
our great High Priest, Christ prays for us always. One day all will call him ‘Lord’.

​​​​​​

Next Sunday – 28th May

9.15am                 Parish Communion at St Peter’s
10.45am               Parish Communion at St Decuman's

​​​​​​​​​Dates for the week ahead
Monday 22nd May         7.00pm            Fundraising meal for Heart for India at the Spice Merchant – see page 2
Tuesday 23rd May          9.30am            Little Saints at the Meeting Room, Williton
Wednesday 24th May    10.00am          Little Saints at the Salvation Army Hall, Watchet
Thursday 25th May        10.00am          CAMEO at St Peter’s
Saturday 27th May         10.00am          Flutes rehearse at Holy Cross

Prayers

We are holding in our thoughts and prayers: Jane D,

Janet S, Sara S, Peter B, Alice, Naomi L, Edna S, Jackie W and Michael F,

Keith W

​If you would like to be included on the Prayer List, please let Mark, Sarah or Sue know..​

The Benefice of Watchet and Williton
Sunday 21st May 2023

THE SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
‘Sunday after Ascension Day'

A commitment to serve
‘Your Majesty, as children of the kingdom of God we
welcome you in the name of the King of kings’. In
reply to these opening words at his Coronation, King
Charles III responded ‘In his name and after his
example I come not to be served but to serve.’ This3
short exchange summed up what the service was
about and what it intended to convey.
The King’s commitment to service is not in any
doubt. To give just a few examples, he has engaged
with our most challenged communities far more
than any politician, he called on us to care for the
environment years before it became popular to do
so and, of course, founded The Prince’s Trust, which
supports our most challenged younger people in so
many ways.
He becomes king of a new era, the Carolean era. Our times see us face some big challenges. Our question is how to
address them. I was immensely struck by all the agencies and charities present in the Abbey for the King’s Coronation.
Their participation spoke of the ways in which we’re going to need to act differently in the years ahead to address the
issues that confront us.
Because it’s all too evident that the power of government, be that local or national, to respond to the problems we see is
less now than it was when the late Queen began her reign. Our challenge in this era is of how we’re going to come
together, in service, to address the different challenges that lie before us, be that the climate, how we tackle poverty,
how we respond to a troubled international situation. All of us will have a part to play.
Where to find the resource to act in the way that’s going to be needed? As I stood beside the King at the Coronation
what inspired me was to see the way he drew so much strength, purpose and resolve and assurance from his Christian
faith for the service he’s called to give. And in that we can follow him too.
Bishop Michael